“When news came to Einar Thambarskeltir about King Olaf’s journey, he at once took a war-arrow and sent it in four directions, summoning thegn and thrall with full war-dress to come and defend the country against the king. The arrow summons went to Orkadal, and then to Ganlardal, and all the host gathered together”[[111]] (St. Olaf’s Saga, c. 37).
Every warrior went to battle combed and washed, and after having eaten well.
There were peace and war shields, the former white and the latter red; when the first was hoisted on a ship it was a sign for a cessation of the conflict, while the appearance of the later on the masthead, or in the midst of a body of men, was a sign of hostility. Another sign was the throwing of a spear or shooting of an arrow over the host. The battles always began by the blowing of the horns. The horn seems to have been the earliest instrument known. No horns belonging to the iron age have been found, though so often mentioned in the Sagas, from which we must suppose that, unlike those of the bronze age, they were of wood.
When the Volsungs approached to attack the sons of Hunding with their fleet, and neared the shores, and were asked what they came for,
Sinfjötli replied—
Hoisted up to the yard
A red shield;
The rim was of gold.
(Helgakvida Hundingsbana, i. 33.)
Their standards stood by the leaders, and were protected by a shield burgh, that is, surrounded by a circle of men armed, besides their offensive weapons, with shields.